Retainer for ball-bearings.



N0. 645,7l4. Patented'lvlar. 20, I900."

E. CREAGER. RETAINER FOR BALL BEARING-8.

(Application filed May 1,1899.)

(No Model.)

wpwboz A, BF Urea/yaw UNITED STATES PATENT nnrcn RETAINER FORBALL-BEARINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,714, dated March20, 1900.

Application filed May 1, 1899. Serial No. 716,225. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN FRANCIS Gena GER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRetainers for Ball-Bearin gs; and I do hereby declare the following tobe afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to improvements in ball-bearings, and particularlyto retainersv and separators to be used with ball-bearings. Its objectis to provide a retainer which may be easily manufactured, shall beapplicable to ball-bearings generally, and shall give the greatestfreedom to the balls in action.

It consists, essentially, of a ring perforated to receive the balls andbent to convert the walls of the perforations into guards for the balls.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of a templet fromwhich the retainer may be formed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of anapproved form of hub with my retainer and separator applied. Fig. 3 isrelatively to the following figures a top plan view. Fig. 4 is a bottomplan view, and Fig. 5 is a section on the line :20 w of Fig. 4. Figs. 6to 15 are sections of modifications of the form illustrated by Figs. 3,4, and 5.

In the drawings, 1 designates a templet having an axial perforation 2and a series of perforations 3.

4 designates a hub; 5, a shaft or axle; 6, a cup or ball-chamber; 7, acone; 8, a retainer, and 9 antifriction-balls.

In Figs. 3, 4, and 5 10 designates the outer wall, and 11 the innerwall, of the retainerthat is, inner and outer with respect to thelocation of the retainer in place, as shown in Fig. 2.

The retainer may be formed of metal cast, spun, or stamped in anyapproved manner. The templet 1 is shown as cut in the form of a flatring having a circular axial perforation and a series ofperforationswhich are substantially circular or preferably oblong orelliptical in outline. The short axis 13 of each perforation 3 is lessthan the diameter of the ball it is to receive. The templet may vary indimensions and in conformation, but the one shown may be bent to producemany forms, as indicated in the drawings. The bend is on the line orincludes the line of the short axis 13 of each perforation 3, and thereis always therefore a fixed guard for the balls in one direction. Thespace included within the circumference of any of the perforations 3 isgreater than the area included Within the equator or circumference ofany ball to be used in the retainer, a provision which insures thegreatest freedom of movement of the balls when in place in the finishedretainer. The line of bending lies between the circumference of thetemplet 1 and the circumference which defines the axial perforation 2.The perforations 3 are intermediate these circumferences, and the metalon each side of the line of bending may be considered as formingdistinct walls of the ring or retainer, each perforation being dividedbetween the walls or a part of each perforation extending beyond theline of bending or division into each wall. These walls diverge, but theefiect of the bending is to .bring nearer together the ends of the longdiameter of each of the ball-receiving perforations, with the resultthat any point of contact between a ball and the wall of a perforationis a less distance from any other point in the wall of the perforationthan the length of the diameterof the ball, so that while a large spaceis provided for the play of the ball it will be securedor retained atall times. In other words, I bend or curve the ring to form acylindrical side wall and an end wall, so that the ball-receivingopenings are so related to the size of the balls to be used that a'ballmay be sprung into an opening from the inner side of the ring and heldfrom accidental displacement by the contact-points at the opposite endsof the transverse diameter, or, briefly, by what may be termed the sidewalls of the openings, and heldfrom displacement in the oppositedirection by What may be termed the end walls of the openings. Theball-receivingperforations or openings may be said to be inclosed--thatis, in the specific illustrations they are distinguished from merenotches or recesses in the side of a cup or ring, and considering thereal size of the openings they may be rudely but fairly described as ofgreater length than width. I may, especially in case of unusually largeperforations or to even further reduce the necessity of carefullymeasuring the perforations, depress one of the walls, as in Fig. 5, tobring nearer together the ends of the long diameter of each perforation.

In Figs. 6 to 15 I have illustrated several modifications 8 8 8 8 8 8 88 S 8 S, Fig. 6, is practically a right-angle form. 8", Fig. 7, showsboth sides bent in. 8, Fig. 8, has a double bend, a form adapted forcertain special bearings. 8 Fig. 12, is practically the form of Figs. 3to 5, with a depression of the opposite Wall. S Fig. 11, is anobtuseangle form.

In Figs. 9, 10, 13,14, and 15, 8 8, 8 8, and 8 I have illustrated thesame principle applied to curved forms, a distinct specific form, thatof a tubular annulus, forming the subject-matter of a separateapplication of even date with this.

In Figs. 6, 9, and 14: I have also illustrated a generally applicablefeature of invention in an extension-flange 12, which enables me tostrengthen the ring by using additional metal in the wall 10 withoutrequiring additional space in the line of action, a feature more fullyexplained in a separate application of even date with this.

In all of the forms all of the balls may be readily applied and any ballmay be easily removed by pressure upon the outer or projecting surfaceof the ball. The balls are thus securely held, and yet through theelasticity of the metal easily replaced in case of necessity.

In action a ball lies between the cone and the walls of the cup, pressedin from the short axis of its perforation, barely touching the retainer,generally lightly at a single point and never at more than two distinctand opposite points, the retainer traveling with the balls.

Throughout the invention I have had in mind a low cost, ease ofmanufacture, a minimizing of friction, adaptability to fit substantiallyall forms of hubs, accompanied by strength and wearing qualities.

I have used the word retainer throughout the specification as aconvenient term to designate a device having the functions of both aretainer and a separator-that is, a cage for holding all the balls inplace when removed from the hub and preventing con tact of the balls inaction.

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to secure by LettersPatent is- 1. In a ball-bearing, the combination of a ball-retainer andballs, the ball-retainer comprising a ring having perforations toreceive the balls,-the space included within the circumference of aperforation being greater than the area included within the equator orcircumference of a ball, and any point of contact between a ball and thewall of a perforation being a less distance from any other point ofcontact than the diameter of a ball.

2. In a ball-bearing, the combination of a ball-retainer and balls, theball-retainer comprising a ring having openings to receive the balls,the circumference of an opening including a space of larger area thanthat included within the equator or circumference of a ball, the ringbeing bent so that all opposite points of contact of a ball in anopening are a less distance apartthan the lengthof the diameter of aball. a

3. In a ball-bearing, the combination of a ball-retainer and balls, theball-retainer comprising a ring bent to retain balls by diverging Walls,and having perforations to receive the balls, the circumference of aperforation being greaterthan the equator or circumference of a ball,but the distance between the axial points being less than the diameterof a ball. 7

4. A ball-retainer comprising a ring having substantially-ellipticalperforations to receive balls, the transverse diameter of a perforationbeing less than the diameter of a ball, the ring being bentsubstantially on the line of the transverse diameter of eachperforation, so that the perforation may retain and yet permit a freemovement of the balls.

5. The combination in a ball-bearing, of a cup, a cone, balls and aball-retainer comprising a ring having walls in different planesconstructed to fit between the cup and cone and having perforations toreceive the balls, all the relative points of contact upon the wall of aperforation being a less distance apart than the length of the diameterof a ball.

6. A ball-retainer comprising a ring having ball-receiving perforations,each perforation to receive a ball, the walls of each perforationserving to retain in all directions and yet permit a free movement of aball.

7. A ball-retainer, comprising a ring with a side wall which iscylindrical and an end Wall and having perforations to receive andretain the balls, each perforation being divided between the walls ofthe retainer.

8. A ball-retainer, comprising a ring bent or curved to form acylindrical side wall and an end wall and provided with inclosedballreceiving openings in its bend, each of greater length than Width,the relative areas of the openings and the balls to be used being suchthat the balls may be sprung into the openings and held from accidentaldisplacement in one direction by the side walls of said openings, andfrom displacement in the opposite direction by the end walls of theopenings.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN FRANCIS OREAGER.

lVitnesses:

JAs. F. ERISMAN, CHAS. H. FLICK.

IIO

